Cathodoluminescence and Surface Physical Studies of Polycrystalline BaTiO3

✍ Scribed by Mitte, M. ;Hagendorf, Ch. ;Schindler, K.-M. ;Abicht, H.-P. ;Neddermeyer, H.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 366 KB
• Volume: 173
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0031-8965
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1521-396x(199905)173:1<183::aid-pssa183>3.0.co;2-o

✦ Synopsis

We have studied polycrystalline BaTiO 3 by using cathodoluminescence (CL), scanning tunneling and electron microscopy (STM and SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy. The main aim of the work was the characterization of the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline material by STM which show up in the CL images with a distinct intensity difference compared to the surfaces of the grains. In CL the grain boundary contrast is strongly dependent on the sample temperature. In the STM results the grain boundaries could be identified at room temperature by the presence of dark lines with a width of only 10 nm which is much narrower than for the CL images (1 to 2 mm in the latter case). The origin of the contrast between grains and grain boundaries in the CL and STM images will be discussed.